The UPS Freight contract has been approved in voting this weekend, but it was not a proud day for our Teamsters Union. The biggest cheers are coming from UPS management, not from Teamsters who move the freight.

While some big locals such as Atlanta Local 728, Columbus Local 413, and Chicago Locals 705 and 710 clearly said No, more locals voted to accept the contract. A number of other locals voted No, such as Milwaukee, Cleveland, Louisville, Oregon, Cincinnati, Orlando, Rhode Island, Little Rock, and others.

January 6, 2014: The new UPS Freight deal is very little changed from the first proposal, which members rejected by 69%. Basically they put lipstick on that pig. The full proposal is available here.

There are two substantive changes since the coast-to-coast rejection. First, on page 23, there is a change to allow senior drivers who have final average wages over $73,000 to retain an enhanced pension. (See italic language on page 23; Article 25, Section 6)

The second change is to tweak the language of the two-tier wages for proposed Line Hall Drivers (LHD). This change is to Article 44 Subcontracting. See the italic language on pages 32-34. The changes since the first disastrous proposal are in italics.

One union rep asked Ken Hall if the new language would eliminate subcontracting. It will not. There will be a new two-tier scale for road drivers that will still allow subcontracting. So the company has two options: they can subcontract, or hire LHDs at essentially nonunion wages.

December 18, 2013. In a shocking move, Ken Hall announced plans to reach a tentative agreement with UPS Freight and hold a quickie ratification vote in January with no mail ballot.

Local unions have been instructed in a memo to hold meetings on January 11-12 to take a vote on the deal – apparently with no mail ballot and just five (5) days after they reveal it to officers at a January 6 meeting in Washington D.C.

October 17, 2013: UPS Freight Teamsters wonder what happened to their union. They've heard next to nothing since they rejected the proposed contract in June with a 69 percent No vote. Four months of silence. It's clear that Hoffa and Hall have no plan for winning significant contract improvements.

So where does that leave Teamsters working at UPS Freight? We can still win a good contract if we unite behind solid issues.

With the 2008 contract, Hoffa and Hall both spoke of the importance of having the same expiration dates for the parcel and freight contracts, to have more leverage. But when the membership stood together in solidarity to reject the first offer, Hoffa and Hall didn't hear the wake up call.

UPS Freight Teamsters couldn't believe how little headway was made on improvements from the original contract. What changes were proposed, in many areas, were for the worse. And to top it off, the negotiating committee agreed to a new line haul classification with lower wages and benefits.

Some key areas stand out if members are to approve the next proposal:

There has to be clear language banning subcontracting of Teamster work and the elimination of the proposed substandard line haul driver classification.

We need pension improvements. Raise the accrual to keep pace with inflation.

No premiums for health insurance. We should get what our sisters and brothers get in the UPS Parcel and freight contracts.

Raises of $1 per hour or at least a match with the UPS Parcel wage increases.

And better language on layoff recall rights.

There's no reason UPS Freight Teamsters should get anything less from their contract. In fact, they should expect the union to deliver more from a corporation that made $4.5 billion in profits. With the strong No vote, members sent a clear message to the IBT that negotiations had to win more.

UPS Freight Teamsters across the country are networking and continuing to build solidarity. "We're going to have to continue to vote NO if they don't come up with more," commented Kurt Kronemberg, a city driver form New York Local 707. "We have to keep talking up the issues and build off the first no vote."

It's up to working Teamsters to fight for what we deserve. That means keeping informed and getting involved. Click here to learn more, or join TDU and help build the movement for change in our union.

No premiums for health insurance: Why is our contract the only Teamster trucking contract that forces members to pay premiums?

Raises of $1/hour each year—or at least match the UPS package raises, as we did in the first contract.

If Hoffa and Hall think the silent treatment will put the members to sleep, they are mistaken. Members are showing visible solidarity and are taking pride in building unity to win a good contract.

"Our officers say they don't know a thing but members aren't waiting around for more bad news," commented Kurt Kronemberg, a city driver in Local 707 in New York. "We're wearing Vote NO stickers and sending management a clear message. We expect a decent contract with substantial improvements and we won't vote it up until we get it."

UPS Freight Teamsters control their own destiny. The path to winning a strong contract leads through member activity. Keep talking up the issues. Keep building solidarity. Keep the pressure on.

Members Aren't Waiting Around

"Our officers say they don't know a thing but members aren't waiting around for more bad news.

"We're wearing Vote NO stickers and sending management a clear message. We expect a decent contract with substantial improvements and we won't vote it up until we get it."

Kurt Kronemberg, Local 707, New York

Stay Informed. Win a better contract. TDU is looking for concerned UPS Freight Teamsters who want to work together to win contract improvements. Click here to contact TDU with your questions or to get involved today.

August 9, 2013: This is not the first time Ken Hall has played politics with members' contracts and turned contract negotiations into a scripted performance.

In the last bargaining round, Hall made a surprise announcement at the Teamster Convention that he had just reached a neutrality agreement to unionize UPS Freight.

Hoffa-Hall supporters immediately said the announcement proved there shouldn't be an election for International Union officers and called on opposition candidates to drop out.

When the smoke cleared, members learned that Hall's agreement only applied to one UPS Freight terminal in Indianapolis and it only went into effect after Hall had ratified a concessionary contract at UPS.

It all went according to plan. UPSers got concessions and UPS Freight Teamsters got a weak first contract.

UPDATED July 23, 2013: A month after UPS Freight Teamsters said NO to the first offer, Hoffa and Hall have given zero information to Teamsters. Now they have signed a contract extension, which requires 30-day notice to cancel it. Meanwhile they remain MIA.

Members from New York to Atlanta to California report that local officers say they don't know a thing. The worst part is they are telling the truth! Hall is even hiding from officers.

Meanwhile, management issued "talking points" this week which ends with this statement: "The uncertainty surrounding the contract has cost UPS Freight significant numbers of shipments already, and more customers are in danger of diverting every day."

We know from IBT insiders that a contract extension will be in place prior to the end of July, and management is telling shippers the same thing.

The only contact from the International union has been that some members got a survey call from telemarketers hired by the union. Is that really the best they can do? Pathetic.

No premiums for health insurance: Why is our contract the only Teamster trucking contract that forces members to pay premiums?

Raises of $1/hour each year—or at least match the UPS package raises, as we did in the first contract.

UPS Freight Teamsters control their own destiny. Keep building unity and solidarity. Keep spreading the word and passing along leaflets. Order and distribute "We'll Vote No Until UPS Gets it Right" stickers. When management tells you the delay is going to hurt business, suggest that they tell Atlanta to offer a reasonable contract, and we will all get back to doing our good jobs as Teamsters.

It’s been over a week since UPS Freight Teamsters stood together from coast to coast and said no to the company’s ridiculous first offer. Where did Ken Hall and our Teamster leadership go?

Brother Hall, this is no time to disappear. We have given you the leverage you need to tell UPS Freight that the Teamster rank and file—against the unanimous recommendation of you and the negotiating committee—stood strong.

Tell them that to get a contract, they need to meet our reasonable demands: